Enjoy Cupcakes

I know that the whole dessert truck trend probably reached it's peak last summer, but I'm a sucker for all things cute and vintage, so I couldn't resist posting this pic of the adorable cupcake trailer used by Enjoy Cupcakes. Actually, this particular trailer isn't the usual food truck that roams the streets of a large city looking for customers. Instead, it parks itself right in the middle of your wedding reception, baby shower, birthday celebration, or any other party event that you can think of! Unlike a more traditional party, where, usually, the food trailer is hidden from view, Enjoy Cupcakes puts it's vintage Shasta trailer front and center.

But, wait, it gets even better! Enjoy Cupcakes offers over 170 different cupcakes flavors AND the flavor combinations are actually original and interesting. For instance, there is a HUGE selection of wine cupcakes, like Tart Ginger Lime Chardonnay and Caramel Pinot, as well as other mouth watering options like Pumpkin Smores, Chocolate Churro, and Chocolate Salted Peanut Buttery Caramel Crunch. Did I mention that they have cake, too?

If you are interested in hiring Enjoy Cupcakes for an event, you can find more info on their Web site. They also have two storefronts in California, one in Los Olivos and the other in Solvang. If you don't live in California, but would still like to sample their sweets, you can have cupcakes shipped straight to your door. Click here for more info on how to order.

Will Cotton

Ladies and gentleman, I love Will Cotton's work. How much do I love it? So much so that it's frankly ridiculous that I haven't written about him before now. Alas, there are so many sweet things to write about and so few hours in the day! Anyway, I've finally gotten around to putting something together and now, without further ado, I am very happy to present my Will Cotton post!

Will Cotton, an American painter and artist, is the current king of dessert art. He creates glorious landscapes filled with cotton candy clouds, candy cane houses, and nude female figures. Drawing inspiration from such diverse sources as pin-up girls, Dutch medieval poetry, and the children's game Candy Land, Cotton uses classical painting techniques to create an enchanting world where human desire is at the forefront. I love the surreal and dream-like elements of his work and, well, of course, the candy! All this sweet stuff isn't just in his head, either. He actually uses real baked goods, making a lot of the desserts that appear in his work.

Some of you may recognize Cotton's work from the cover of Katy Perry's California Gurls album, which features a painting he did of Perry. He was also the artistic director behind her video for "California Gurls," which is filled with loads of classic Cotton imagery. Click here to check out more of Cotton's work online.

Square Cupcakes

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to here it, does it make a sound? If a cupcake is square and not round, is it still a cupcake? These are just a couple of life's deepest philosophical questions that have been plaguing humanity for generations. In my opinion, the answer to both questions is "yes," but I know that there are probably many of you out there that would disagree. Is a square cupcake still a cupcake or is it just a piece of cake? Does the roundness of a cupcake make for easier eating? Does the shape matter? Certainly, the folks at Cupcakes Squared, a bakery in San Diego, have no problem with changing the shape of the traditional cupcake, considering that their store is filled with, not round, but square cupcakes! Some may consider this to be a bit blasphemous, but not me. I'd try one of their square cupcakes any day! Especially the Pistachio Pomegranate . . . mmmm. If you would like to try your hand at making your own square cupcakes, check out the resources below.


Wilton Square Silicon Baking Cups

Fat Daddio's Square Muffin Pan

Square Baking cups from Baking Idea

Sweet Testing: Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream

Yes, it's true. It's another Baked cake. I know. You're shocked, right? Actually, I've been wanting to make this cake ever since I first got Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. Every time a birthday or a holiday or some other cake-required celebration comes around, I put it on a list of suggestions and it always gets overlooked! So, when I was asked what kind of cake I wanted for my bday, I immediately picked this one! And I was so glad that I did! So, so yummy! One cake eater/red velvet fan said that it was the best red velvet cake that she have ever had! I have to admit, though, that I liked it a whole lot better the next day. The cinnamon seemed much stronger. I don't know if that's because the flavors needed time to percolate or if I had just eaten too much food prior to cake time. Then again, I often tend to like baked goods more the next day, but that's just me and my weirdness.

You can find the complete recipe for Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream after the jump.

Homemade is Best by Ikea

Hel-lo gorgeous! That's what I thought when I first saw the photos from Ikea's new baking book Hembakat är Bäst (Homemade is Best). These beautiful images, taken by photographer Carl Kleiner and styled by Evelina Bratell, were inspired by high fashion and Japanese minimalism are Ikea's attempt to break from traditional food photography by focusing on the ingredients, instead of the finished product. The 140-page coffee table book contains 30 classic Swedish baking recipes, including Schackrutor, which Petra Borner was so kind to make us last year. The only bummer in all this is that Hembakat är Bäst is apparently only available in Ikea stores in Sweden and only for a limited time. Ikea, you're such a tease! If you'd like to see more from this colorful and interesting cookbook, Ikea's advertising agency is featuring pics on it's Web site, right here. Also, click here to view images on photographer Carl Kleiner's Web site.